Boat-propeller unit



Sept. 2 1930 F. HERBST 1,774,886

' BOAT PROPELLER UNIT Filed Jan 51, 1929 simplification of Patented Sept. 2, 1930 PATENT OFFICE FRANK Banner, on WILMINGTON, n'oa'rn CAROLINA i noa'r-rnormnn UNIT Application filed January 81, 1929. Serial No. 386,478.

This invention relates to the class of marine propulsion and pertains particularly to an improved propeller unit.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a propeller unit designed to be attached to the stern post of a boat, which will permit ofthe placing of the engine directly in the rear of the boat instead of midway between the bow and stern as in the usual practice.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit which will make possible the the building of the boat for the reason that no shaft log will be required and consequentl the difficulties encountered in making the oat watertight thereabout will be eliminated.

The resent invention broadly contenr plates t e provision of an elongated casing having a head and sleeve-like base portion, the casing being designed to be secured directly against the sternpost of the boat. In the upper ortion of the casing two bearings are forme one thereof being in the nature of a sleeve which extends through the stern post into theboat. These bearings support the rear end of the motor drive shaft.

The drive shaft within the head of the casing carries a bevelled gear which meshes with a similar gear mounted upon a vertical shaft which extends into the lower or sleeve portion of the casing carrying upon its lower end a bevelled gear which in turn meshes with a pivoted gear carried by ashort propeller shaft, which is rotatably mounted in the sleeve and extends through one side to the exterior of the casing where it carries a propeller.

With the propeller unit embodying this invention, the installation of the engine motor is made easier. The motor may be mount.- ed to sit horizontally, thereby eliminating oiling difliculties.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however. that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims. y

In the drawing Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the unit embodying this invention applied to a boat;

Figure 2 is a the unit;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken upon the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the unit embodying the present invention comprises an elongated casing 1 which is of generally elliptical cross sectional design. The upper end of this casing is enlarged in the direction of the short axis of the ellipse to form a substantially cylindrical head 2, the longitudinal axis of which extends parallel to the long axis of the ellipse ot the casing. One end of the head, as for example, the end 3 which may be termed the bow end, has extending from the central portion thereof the bearing sleeve 4 in the forward end of which the packing nut 5 threadably engages and in the opposite end of the head there is mounted a rear bearing 6 which is in alignment with the bearing sleeve 4.

longitudinal sectional view of The bow end of the head 2 is designed to be positioned against the rear face of the stern post of a boat, when the unit is lIlOllIlll". ed in position, the stern post of a boat being shown conventionally and indicated by the numeral 7 and securing bolts 8 project from'this end of the head for engagement in the stern post, while the sleeve bearing 4 extends therethrough.

ga'ge the stern post of the boat adjacent the lower end thereof, so that substantially the lower half of the casing lies below the'end of the stern post in the manner shown.

The top of the casing head 2 has an opening formed therethrough, which is normally closed by the cap 12. This opening is provided to permit of the introductioninto the casing of lubricating grease with which the casing is kept packed, while the unit is in operation. 4

At its lower end the casing is slightly enlarged laterally to provide the foot portion 13 which is of substantially circular cross sectional design and which extends across the lower end of the casing substantially parallel with the head 2. The forward and rear or bow and stern ends 14 and 15, respectively, of

ed gear 22 mounted upon the propeller shaft- 16, while the gear 20 meshes with a gear 23 located in the rear portion of the head 2 and carried upon the engine shaft 24 which extends from the engine crank shaft (not shown) through the bearing sleeve 4 and into the head, in the manner shown.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that with the present unit the engine of a boat upon which the unit is mounted may be positioned as close to the stern of the boat as the construction thereof will permit and the full power thereof be as eflectively delivered to the propeller 17, as

- when the motor is mounted in the usual posi-' tion in the central portion of the boat.

In addition to this, as pointed out in the foregoing paragraphs, many advantages re-.

sult from the use of this unit, such as the advantages of mounting the engine hOIlZOIltally instead of upon an inclination as in the usual case, the advantages of removing the engme'from the mam part of the boat where a great deal of room is ordinarily taken up,

which may be converted to the comfort of the occupants, and the advantages in the building of the boat by the elimination of the usual shaft log required when the drive shaft is run along the boat keel.

casing, which houses the longitudinally exthe sternpost, the unit may be conveniently mounted without interfering with the rudder structure of the boat.

Having described my invention, What I I claim is 1. A boat propeller unit comprising an elongated casing adapted to be mounted in substantially vertical position on the stern of a boat, a plurality of bosses mounted on said casing spaced inwardly from the opposite ends thereof, attaching bolts secured to said bosses for attaching the casing to the stern of a boat, a drive shaft transversely mounted in. the upper end of said casing, a vertically arranged shaft mounted in said casing and having gear connection with said drive shaft, a propeller shaft transversely mounted in said casing and having gear connection with said vertical shaft, and antifriction means for each. of said shafts.

2. A boat propeller unit comprising, an

elongated casing having an open'upper and adapted to be mounted in substantially vertical position on the stern of a boat, a plurality of bosses spacedly positioned on the forward edge portion of said casing and in spaced relation to each other, a plurality of bolts secured to said bosses for attachingthe casing to the stern of a boat, a drive shaft transversely mounted in the upper end of said casing, a vertically arranged shaft mounted in said casing, a closure cap for said opening in said casing, lubricating means mounted in said cap for lubricating the interior of the casing, a propeller shaft transversely mounted in the lower end portion of said casing, and anti-friction bearings for each of said shafts, said casing being provided with a plurality of communicating lubricating openings whereby to lubricate each of said bearings.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. FRANK HERBST.

tending shaft 18 slight resistance is offered thereby to its passage through the water. It will also be noted that by positioning the propeller 17 to face the bow of the boat under 

